Military band plays wrong national anthem for visiting Swiss President

posted 12 Oct 2010, 02:58 by Sam Mbale
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updated 14 Oct 2010, 09:12
]

The Swiss President, who is on a state visit to Norway, is greeted by a military band playing the wrong national anthem. Military band unsure what anthem it played.

OSLO, NORWAY (OCTOBER 14, 2010) SCANPIX -

The Swiss president and her delegation on a state visit to Norway were surprised on Thursday (October 14) when the military band performed what was supposed to be the Swiss national anthem during a welcoming ceremony at the royal palace. Afterwards it was confirmed that nobody knew the song but that it had definitely not been the Swiss anthem.

Swiss President Doris Leuthard arrived in Oslo for a two-day visit and was taking part in the welcoming ceremony in the palace courtyard with members of the Norwegian royal family. The wrong anthem was played as Leuthard stood on a podium listening to the band.

According to the Norwegian news agency NTB, a representative from the military band could not immediately confirm what song they had played but said they got the music from their archives.

There was to be a parade later in the day by which time they hoped to find the right music for the Swiss anthem.

According to NTB, the Swiss Embassy took the news with good humour.

After the ceremony, Leuthard and her husband Roland Hausin had lunch with King Harald of Norway and his wife, Sonia. The royal couple will also host a dinner at the palace later this evening.

During the two-day visit, Leuthard will take part in a wreath laying ceremony, open a Swiss design exhibition and meet Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg.